PLANS have been launched by Ayr United Football Club for the creation of a new North Stand and ‘premium’ hospitality offering at its Somerset Park stadium.
Led by Ayr-based Denham Youd, the architecture firm is aiming to improve the all round match day experience with optimised views from the new stand, as well as the facilities being ‘sympathetic’ to the existing context.
Plans show that parts of the existing North Stand would be demolished to make way for a new 748-seater stand, which would also include a hospitality and business suite with capacity for 198 guests.
The new stand would utilise a cantilevered roof structure, as well as having wheelchair access throughout, electric vehicle infrastructure, and inside match-day space for the families of players.
The planning application adds that a ‘range’ of measures will be implemented to reduce the demand for energy in the proposed development. This includes ‘good levels’ of natural daylight throughout, the facade and layout of the building being designed to take advantage of solar gains in winter, ‘excellent’ fabric performance for new thermal elements and openings to reduce heat loss, a ‘high level’ of air tightness, and use of heat recovery technology.
